The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7254 p855
21 June 2003

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Research suggests protective role for selenium in breast cancer

A link between a genetic polymorphism associated with breast cancer and the need for selenium has sparked interest in the national media this week. However, researchers who carried out the work say that use of selenium supplements as a way of preventing breast cancer cannot be advocated on current evidence.

The researchers from Illinois University, Chicago, reported on a gene type that may require elevated levels of selenium to retain cancer protection.

Writing in Cancer Research (2003;63:3347), they say that selenium is established in reducing some forms of cancer although its link with breast cancer is less clear.

They described polymorphism in a gene for selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx-1). This selenium-dependent protein detoxifies both hydrogen and lipid peroxides and acts as an antioxidant.

They found that a leucine containing allele of GPx-1 is more frequently associated with breast cancer, with an odds ratio of 1.9. Changes in the gene could also occur during tumour development, they report.

Their research provides support for a role of GPx-1 in cancer risk and/or aetiology, they say.

However, lead researcher Alan Diamond, head of the university's department of human nutrition, told The Journal that he is not advocating selenium supplementation as of yet to prevent breast cancer.

"The issue is that while there is an enormous amount of data showing that selenium can prevent many different types of cancer in animal model systems, information regarding humans is just emerging. The genetic data provide some early evidence that selenoproteins might be involved in cancer aetiology, leading us to suggest the possibility that selenium will be shown to be effective in reducing cancer incidence people by acting through this unique class of proteins

"The data also lead us to suggest that there may be certain people in the population who might benefit from selenium supplementation due to their genetic make-up. Again, it is early, but this is an exciting concept," he added.